Accessibility

Conn. group begins paratransit, travel training service

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. — The Ridgefield Press reported that Rides for Ridgefield, a new town transportation alliance, will begin service on May 1. The program will provide area seniors and those with mobility disabilities with a single source for ride information and transportation counseling.

The organization is currently looking for volunteers to help with phone calls, community outreach, training, information technology, volunteer coordination, grant writing, fund-raising, record keeping, and driving. For the full story, click here.

Transportation America’s 5-year, $208 million contract states the county will withhold the disputed amounts from the company while the dispute is resolved. But, transit officials say they are conceding to TA attorneys who claim the contract language is ambiguous and letting the company hold the cash.

According to police, the Hampton Roads Transit bus driver saw the person traveling on the street in the direction of the bus and swerved at the last second to avoid a direct collision with the motorized wheelchair. The wheelchair struck the right side of the bus.

The Winnipeg Taxi Board initially denied Sunshine Transit Services an accessible limousine license in 2012. With the signing of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act, help from the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities and the Public Interest Law Center, Manitoba's one and only accessible limo license was granted to Sunshine Transit Services in August 2014.

The goal of the updated process is to ensure that only persons who meet the regulatory criteria are regarded as eligible for paratransit service, making this vital service more efficient. Eligibility is based on limitations to an individual’s abilities, not just the presence of a disability.